ORANGE COUNTY, Fla – Experts and law enforcement are encouraging kids and parents to discuss e-bike safety as children get ready to head back to school.
Recent studies reveal more than 20,000 people suffer injuries annually while riding e-bikes, with approximately 3,000 requiring hospitalizations, though those numbers could be underreported.
Dennis Jones, owner of Wheelworks in Winter Garden, recently hosted a workshop on bike safety.
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“We kind of made it pretty broad, covering a lot of different safety standards,” Jones said. “But e-bikes definitely are a part of it because a lot of people don’t know the different classes of e-bikes and the requirements and the age limits.”
The three classifications of e-bikes include Class 1 and 2, which have a maximum speed of 20 mph, and Class 3, which can reach speeds up to 28 mph.
Jones understands why e-bikes have become so popular, but also in some cases may not be the best option.
“I always tell everybody it’s the right bike for the right place, and unfortunately some of the e-bikes aren’t used in the right places,” Jones said.
Jones said e-bikes can be a good option for kids to get to school but feels there should be some type of course on e-bike safety and the rules of the road.
“At a minimum, some sort of education certification website that would run them through the basics of traffic laws, including crosswalks, stops, lights, and turning,” Jones said.
Florida Highway Patrol Trooper, Midalisis Garcia, urges parents to discuss e-bike safety with their children before school begins.
“Making sure that they’re practicing safety by wearing their helmets, crossing the roadway when they are supposed to, and not just darting across in the middle of the roadway Mid-Block, where there are no crosswalks,” Garcia said.
Garcia also stresses the responsibility of drivers in preventing crashes.
“Limit any distraction in your vehicle because just one extra look before you turn right can actually save a life from a pedestrian, an e-bike, or a kid on an e-scooter,” Garcia said.